Let’s face it: we all have poor habits. Admittedly, some are worse than other folks, but a vice is a vice. And when it comes to our yoga practice, there are a lot of yoga habits that we could do without having.
Of course, practicing yoga is a definite virtue. It aids to ground us, center us, and all round, hopefully make us improved men and women. But even with such a virtuous practice, there are a quantity of issues that we could be carrying out to make ourselves our personal worst enemies.
Our practice shouldn’t be a spot for judgements or criticism. It should really be a secure haven and refuge from our chaotic and typically stressful each day lives. Our yoga mats should really really feel like sanctuaries.
So, in order to make that come about, we commonly have to break a couple of poor yoga habits along the way.
Here Are 9 Bad Yoga Habits You Should Break for a More Satisfying Practice:
If you do any of the following, it could be time to reconsider your yoga habits . . . for the sake of your sanity, well being, and the well-being of your yoga practice.
1. Quit Comparing Your Practice to Others
Of course, we’ve all performed it. The bendy girl on the mat beside you could as nicely work for Cirque du Soleil. And you are quite confident that the super robust guy on your other side is connected to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It’s challenging not to evaluate your Splits to hers or your arm balances to his. We’ve all been there.
But the truth of the matter is that their practice is totally unrelated to yours. You’re on separate mats and on totally separate journeys. You have no notion how lengthy she’s been working on her flexibility or how lengthy he’s been working on his strength.
The grass is greener exactly where you water it.
Your practice is not theirs and theirs is not yours. They’re most likely eyeing your balance poses anyway and wishing they had as significantly handle as you.
While it could appear like the grass is constantly greener on the other side, it definitely is not. The grass is greener exactly where you water it. So place your time, work, and focus into your personal practice and watch how it blossoms.
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2. Resist Pushing Yourself Beyond Your Limits
Yoga is a practice of respect – respect for your body, respect for your thoughts, and respect for your soul.
Oftentimes, practitioners can get overzealous and push their bodies beyond their physical limits, top to injury.
But if you definitely practice respect and listen to your body’s cues, then you will know clearly when sufficient is sufficient. Never push beyond your limitations. Simply enable them to expand with time and patience.
We are all distinctive. And our bodies know very best.
When a teacher gives you cues and guidance, they are merely recommendations for what could work nicely for your body and alignment. They are not steadfast guidelines of how poses should really be practiced.
So be confident to listen to the internal cues of your personal body more than you listen to the external cues of your teacher to know specifically what functions for you and specifically what does not.
Always be confident to adhere to your internal teacher more than your external one particular to hold your body secure.
3. Stop Focusing on the End Goal
A lot of us are purpose-oriented. We have ambitions. We want to nail Handstands or arm balances or Splits. But when we focus as well significantly on the finish purpose, we shed the worth of the journey.
Enjoy every single moment of your journey. Learn from the instances you fall. Observe your development and progressions. Savor the wild voyage and all the perseverance that it entails.
If you definitely get pleasure from the complete journey, you just could uncover that you in fact attain your finish purpose more rapidly than you could have if you spent all your time worrying about what you had been lacking alternatively of considering about what you currently have.
4. Get Out of Your Head
As one particular of the most frequent yoga habits, a lot of yogis devote a lot of time in their heads and not in their bodies as they practice.
Perhaps you are considering about what the teacher thinks of your flow or perhaps you are worried about irrespective of whether or not your yoga pants are see via.
You could be creating a buying list for the duration of Savasana or considering about the fight you had with your companion final evening for the duration of meditation.
Get out of your head and into sensation.
The beauty of asana practice is that it permits you to get out of your head and into your body. We seldom have moments like this in our every day lives, so use this distinctive chance!
Flow with the rhythm of your breath. Move organically on the other hand your body craves. Embody how you really feel and let the vibrations of your practice echo via your physical type. Get out of your head and into sensation. You could be shocked by its effects.
5. Please Don’t Skip Savasana
Many sensible teachers have declared Savasana (Corpse Pose) to be the most essential and the most challenging asana.
In other postures, we have alignment cues to focus on, balance and positioning to be concerned about, and other issues to distract our focus. When we practice Savasana, we have no external distractions.
It’s just us and our thoughts. It’s a spot of pure surrender and relaxation, and a lot of yogis struggle to do just that.
Instead of skipping Savasana, challenge your self to totally surrender to the stillness and give in to the release. It can have profoundly far-reaching implications to your practice and beyond.
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6. Stop Holding Your Breath
Breath is a potent type of prana. It is a life-force power that actually keeps us alive. Yet, so typically in our every day lives and in our yoga practice, we have the tendency to hold our breath.
What could be one particular of the absolute worst yoga habits, holding your breath for the duration of a practice is detrimental to the flow of power inside you. Physically, it deprives your body of oxygen. Energetically, it deprives your subtle body of prana.
Even as issues get challenging, you will most likely uncover that effortlessly moving your breath (and with your breath) will have profoundly potent effects on your practice, and eventually, your complete life as well.
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7. Avoid Anticipating the Next Move
The ultimate purpose of yoga is full presence and mindful awareness of the present moment.
If you devote 90% of your practice, anticipating the next move, you are missing out on the present.
So alternatively of spending your time attempting to figure out which Sun Salutation is coming next or what the peak pose of the class could be, surrender totally to the present and be totally conscious of what’s taking place suitable now.
8. Stop Practicing Phone Asana
Whether you practice yoga on the internet at property or at a yoga studio, we’ve all been tempted to verify our phones for the duration of our practice. But this could be one particular of the worst yoga habits of all!
Our time on the mat is to unplug and get out of our heads and into our bodies. We devote sufficient time on devices as it is. The final factor any of us will need is the interruption of our phones and all the pings and distraction that come with it.
Leave your telephone at the door and on do not disturb. Your practice will thank you!
9. Don’t Not Challenge Yourself
Everybody loves a excellent comfort zone. After all, we really feel comfy there. But development takes place outdoors of your comfort zone.
That does not imply you should really push beyond your limits and try a super deep backbend or no cost-floating inversion if you are not ready. It signifies you should really merely challenge your self in any way that feels acceptable.
For some, that could imply holding Savasana for an added minute or two – specially if you really feel like you do not have the time. For other folks, that could imply taking up a meditation practice even although it scares the sh*t out of you to sit with your personal thoughts.
Growth takes place outdoors of your comfort zone.
Maybe for you, difficult your self merely signifies permitting your self to let go of tension or get more than your worry of turning upside down.
Whatever the challenge is for you, discover it and run toward. Rather than operating from challenges on your mat, face them head on so that this invaluable ability can also translate off of your mat.
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Break Your Bad Yoga Habits and Watch Your Practice Blossom
Your yoga practice is a secure space for you to be you on your mat.
Some days that could appear like you curling up into Child’s Pose and crying for an hour. Some days, you could sweat your ass off as you flow effortlessly from pose to pose.
Whatever your practice appears like, you most likely want to hold your habits healthier and valuable. So drop your poor yoga habits and replace them with improved ones to develop and develop and develop each on and off your mat.
